Rippowam Cisqua School's Foundations of Education Lecture Series to Feature Michael Thompson, Ph.D.

Rippowam Cisqua School’s Foundations of Education Series continues on Friday, January 11th at 10:00 a.m. with a return visit from bestselling author and renowned psychologist Michael Thompson, Ph.D.  Dr. Thompson will speak about “Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Friendship Development, Popularity and Social Cruelty in Childhood.” Dr. Thompson's lecture is free and open to the public and will take place in the Sky Room on the Rippowam Cisqua School Lower Campus (325 West Patent Rd., Mount Kisco, NY  10549). 

Dr. Thompson has worked as a clinical psychologist, school consultant, and international speaker on the subjects of children, schools, and parenting for nearly 35 years.  He is the bestselling author of nine books, including Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, Homesick and Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can Help a Child Grow, and Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children.  He has worked in more than five hundred schools across the United States, as well as in international schools in Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia. He has appeared on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20 on ABC, 60 Minutes on CBS, The Early Show and Good Morning America. He has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Time and U.S. News and World Report and has been a guest on NPR’s Morning Edition with Susan Stamberg, Talk of the Nation with Ray Suarez and the Diane Rhem Show.

During his presentation, Dr. Thompson will walk parents through the complex social world of childhood and address a number of questions: What do social relationships in school predict about happiness in adult life?  What is the normal sequence of child friendships, from the parallel play of the two-year-old to the intimate self-disclosure of the adolescent? Why do cliques form and what are the differences between boy and girl groups?  Why are children scapegoated and how can their parents and school protect them?  Dr. Thompson will draw on research to highlight the differences between friendship and popularity, and he will make suggestions about the management of social problems in schools and make the case that while all children yearn for popularity, it is friendship that helps children survive and thrive. 

Dr. Thompson’s presentation is part of Rippowam Cisqua School’s Foundations of Education Series, a series of informative discussions with experts in the field of education and parenting.  These discussions are designed to offer parents insights and strategies for raising successful, lifelong learners.  The lectures are free and open to the public. All lectures take place on the Lower Campus, which is located at 325 West Patent Road, Mount Kisco, New York. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Ryan Smith at 914-244-1292 or ryan_smith@rcsny.org.